August 2015
Dear Friends,
May You Experience Respite and Recreation These Final Days of Summer!
READER'S FEEDBACK: MARYMAC MISSIONS' E-NEWS
Thanks to the few folks who sent a response to my request for feedback about writing this e-newsletter for 3 years. It was interesting that the feedback came from three catholic religious women (two from the Greater Boston area and one from Atchison, KS) who collectively have been mentors of mine for over twenty years! In summary, they said to keep writing. One finds inspiration and encouragement to live simply, consciously, and intentionally, and appreciates the invitations to participate. One described the content as valuable, reliable, inspiring, motivational, and educational; she also reminded me to take a break if needed from the monthly commitment. Thanks to all who wrote in, and I remain open to unsolicited constructive critique.
Saving Caregiver Lives
EARLY REGISTRATION - BY 9/5 - FOR 9/17 CAREGIVER RETREAT
Please visit Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center for Information and to Register for the fall "Family Caregivers Take-Time!" 3-hour retreat program.
View/Print/Share the online flyer for the 9/17 Retreat >
Register here for the 9/17 Retreat >
SUICIDE & AGING: WORKSHOP TAKE-AWAYS
On July 29th, I attended a four-hour training provided by the Samaritans of Merrimack Valley on the topic of suicide and aging. The stresses we are under as individuals, couples, and families living with the long-term-effects of long-term-illness are real and different than any other time in human history. Many of us in the U.S. are living with greater detachment from family and loved ones as we age. As friends and neighbors we need to become more mindful of the caregiver, care-receiver, or single person living next-door, and offer hope as we are able, even if it is simply providing the 24/7 helpline to call the Samaritans (a world-wide organization). Please read my blog post to learn more...
Suicide and Aging: What you need to know >
Disability Activism & Advocacy
Shown above: Mary stands with ADA25Boston March, Boston Common, MA, USA, July 22, 2015.
ADA 25 YEARS! BOSTON CELEBRATION
On July 22, from 11am - 3pm, we were with friends on the Boston Common to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act. We marched, listened to speakers, enjoyed entertainment, and networked with other service providers. Below is a favorite photo I took of our friend, the first independent wheelchair user of our wheelchair-accessible MargFMac Front Garden Loop, Marianne DiBlasi.
View more ADA25Boston photos and read more >
Shown above: Marianne with the Dragon Puppeteers, ADA25Boston March, July 22, 2015.
Gardens Offer... Respite, Recreation, Healing, Hope
Shown above: July 26: Franciscan Fr. Ken Himes Blesses the 15 Stations: The 6 Ways of the MargFMac Front Garden Loop, at our home, Rest.Stop.Ranch, in Topsfield, MA, USA.
BLESSING THE STATIONS AND OUR GARDEN MINISTRY
Creating fifteen stations, six ways, around the wheelchair-accessible MargFMac Front Garden Loop (0.1 mile) was an action born of contemplative prayer this past Holy Week, during the Lent and Easter Season. Beyond my own Christian tradition, I was inspired to create the stations in a way that would be more accessible to more people from different faiths and cultures. I was inspired to create an opportunity for the personal practice of feeling heard, if only by the trees, joining others' trails of tears, trails of spiritual healing. I saw a vision of individual practitioners connecting through their own unique stations engagement with a supportive communion of cross-cultural, many-faith practitioners, across time. Through the practice, people feeling grief and loss may feel comforted, those feeling despair may feel hope, burdens shared becoming lighter...
Read more about the blessing of the 15 Stations: 6 Ways >
Shown above: Twelve residents and staff, from Sunrise Assisted Living, Arlington, MA, enjoy the MargFMac Front Garden Loop on August 9, 2015.
SUNRISE GROUP OF ARLINGTON, MA ENJOYS GARDENS
We enjoyed hosting twelve people (nine residents, three staff) from Sunrise Assisted Living, Arlington, MA. Cheri, the driver and group coordinator, said that the forty-minute drive was doable and they'd do it again gladly as all enjoyed the time at the gardens.
Read more: Sunrise Group Enjoys Garden Tour and Picnic >
SUNDAY STROLL and MEMORY CAFÉ: September 13
Our next Sunday Stroll/Memory Cafe is September 13, 11am - 2pm. Please RSVP (call me!) if you plan to come, as we have limited parking and can accommodate only up to 10 cars. Family dementia-caregivers and care-receivers are the people we are looking to serve by offering this Memory Café. Please share with friends you know who could benefit.
Learn about our Memory Café in Topsfield, MA >
Find a Memory Café around Greater Boston >
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS AGE 14+ FOR SUNDAY STROLLS and MEMORY CAFÉ
We can't do this alone! We need volunteers! Please:
Learn more about volunteer opportunities >
Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary
email: mary@marymacmissions.com
mobile: 978-887-4202
local: 202 Haverhill Road, Topsfield, MA 01983
global: marymacmissions.com
Consider how you might support- TODAY - a nearby family-with-dementia you know.
- Might you invite someone with dementia to your home for a cup of tea?
- Might you provide an hour of respite for a weary caregiver?
- Might you lend a hand with a maintenance job around their home?
Note: I am available for speaking, training, and retreat engagements. Please e-mail me to discuss your future planning (caregiver support groups and conferences, professional meetings and continuing education, and day/weekend retreats).
Our Practice
Please click on one of the images below to learn more about how we rest, dance, and pray with the long-term-care topic:
You are receiving this email because you are a friend, a subscriber, a programs participant, a professional who serves families affected by Alzheimer's or other long-term illnesses, a spiritual leader who counsels families affected by long-term illness, a team member, supplier, partner, mentor, or advisor who is helping to grow the social enterprise Marymac Missions, and/or a social change leader. Please feel free to unsubscribe at any time or change your subscription preferences using the links at the bottom of this email. Please share with family and friends now journeying with long-term illness who may benefit.
our vision:
Care givers and receivers feel and know the presence of caring communitee companions throughout and beyond the long-term-care journey; they are empowered to love themselves and each other in balanced ways; they experience universal comfort, respite and recreation in local natural places of hospitality.
our values:
Creative, Accessible, Sustainable
our mission statement:
Champions for caregivers and adults living with extended illness, we: meet people where they are (locally, financially, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually); provide positive experiences, strategies, practices, coping methods and skills through the cycle of health, illness, loss, recovery and renewal; raise public awareness and facilitate communitee alliances between individuals, families, businesses and communitee organizations to reach, include and care for care givers and receivers who become marginalized because of the systemic effects of illness; lead and participate in research that aims to understand the effectiveness of care giver and receiver health programs; support research that aims to illuminate and eliminate the root causes of disease; and adapt to best serve current care giver and receiver needs.
